THE PISHES OF BERING SEA. 



449 



scales immediately below the stay, present in one specimen. Interopercle, subopercle, 

 and opercle naked, except for a small patch of scales on upper part of the latter. 

 Upper lateral line ending under second or fourth spine in one specimen, under tenth 

 or twelfth spine in the other. The fourth extends barely to base of ventrals in one 

 specimen, to opposite end of basal fifth of ventrals in the other. There are 7, 8, or 9 

 scales in an oblique series between second and third lines, counted near middle of 

 body. The lowermost line forks at a point slightly nearer base than tip of ventrals, 

 its distance from ventrals less than half its distance from vent. Ventrals pointed, 

 extending beyond pectorals and more than halfway to front of anal. The caudal fin 

 is strongly emarginate when closed, becoming truncate when spread. It is scaled on 

 basal half only. Color as usual in the species, the light spots on sides numerous, 

 about as large as pupil. Fins bright reddish or orange, especially on basal half. 



Dr. Bean records this species from Kadiak, TJnalaska, Atka, St. Michael, and 

 Port Clarence, and Stejneger found it on Bering Island and at Petropaulski. 

 63. Hexagrammos octogramtuus (Pallas). (Plate L.) 



Chirus ordinatus Cope, Proo. Amer. Phil. Soc, Phila., 1873, 28. 



The commonest shore form of the genus in Bering Sea. Specimens were taken at 

 Unalaska, Petropaulski, Robbeu Island, and Iturup Island. Dr. Bean records it from 

 TJnalaska, and Dr. Stejneger found it on Bering Island and at Petropaulski. 



This species is currently known as H. ordinatus. We make the identification 

 with octogrammus for the following reasons: (a) It occurs abundantly at the type 

 locality for octogrammus, and so closely resembles H. asper as to often require close 

 scrutiny to separate the two species. According to Pallas, octogrammus and asper are 

 not considered distinct by the natives and were even confounded by Steller. (b) Octo- 

 grammus is said to be abundant throughout the Kamchatkan region and the Aleutian 

 Islands. Yet, if not ordinatus, it is not to be identified with any known species, and 

 must have escaped the notice of all recent collectors, (c) Octogrammus is described 

 as having 19 dorsal spines and 24 anal rays. This is the usual formula for ordinatus, 

 while no other species is known to have as few as 19 spines The only important ele- 

 ment in the descrijition of octogrammus which fails to apply to ordinatus is the squa- 

 mation of the cheeks. Octogrammus is said to have the subocular lamella minutely 

 scaled, while in all species except H. decagmmmus the suborbital ring as well as the 

 suborbital scale are scaleless. The present species shows some variation in the 

 squamation of the opercles. The lower portion of subopercle is usually naked in our 

 specimens, but is in some of them completely scaled. There may be exceptionally a 

 few scales on adjacent edge of interopercle. We append fin counts in 14 specimens: 



5947— PX 3- 



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